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Thread ID: 38640	2003-10-13 22:34:00	"Creeping upwards till crash" kernel processor useage	ljhnz (805)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
182889	2003-10-13 22:34:00	Has anyone any ideas on the cause of this annoying problem? OS : Windows ME AMD Athlon 1328 mhz RAM : 384 MB HD 30 GB - (16gb still free) Problem : After a period of time (usually about an hour or so) the system slows to a point where nothing will work any more and then it will lock up. I've defragged a heap of times, scanned for viruses (Norton 2002 with paid up subscription and up to the minute virus definitions), scanned for spyware with ad-aware,swat it,spy-subtract and spybot remover, and had the power supply renewed. None of which has helped. I have 7 programs sitting in the system tray (Volume, Key Maestro, Turbo Note, NAV,MSGTAG,AdSubtract Pro,Zone Alarm Pro) I also run T-Clock all the time to enhance windows time/date display (had it for years) and when I use Swat-It! I can count all running processes and most of the time it's about 25 or so - but most of those are windows OS programs. The temperature of the system runs at about 19 degrees which I'm told is normal. The fans (One on the cpu one on the video card) are ok. I also bought a software firewall (Zone Alarm Pro) and add blocker (AdSubtract Pro) which havn't given me any bother in the past. The power supply was replaced (as an experiment as the old one still seemed to be ok) the computer cleaned and looked over by a computer techie last week, who also removed a few gig of windows temp files (that i had discovered via a treeview program - "Sequoia View", but wasn't sure about which ones were safe to delete) but the problem still persists. (Although in saying that, I'm positive I'm getting longer in between freeze ups since it came back from the shop) Under "Problem Devices" in System Information, the following appears (I don't know if it's relevant...) : ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering ACPI\*PNP0C0F\00000003 22 Is the information in System Monitor with regards to "Locked Memory, Kernel Processor Useage,Allocated Memory, Swapfile In Use" etc of any use in diagnostics? The swapfile isn't being used by the way... The only way I've found to COMPLETELY free up available resources is to shut down and disconnect from the power before rebooting - simply restarting only partially speeds up the system. Any comments gratefully received! Cheers Lynne :-) PS - one thing i DO need to do is update window - I haven't been too good at that - and maybe thats a problem? Is there any way you can do this whereby if the internet connection is disrupted you don't have to start all over again?	ljhnz (805)
182890	2003-10-13 22:50:00	The problem is ME it was a rushed and flawed O/S 98Se is way more stable. The trouble is you need to reformatC: drive to install it , ME works well if you dont add too many programs to it as it tends to not release resources once it has them . uninstall as much as you can that isnt essential and pray it works properly also disable system restore as it doesnt work half the time either unlike XPs one which is fairly good	kiwibeat (304)
182891	2003-10-13 23:18:00	> PS - one thing i DO need to do is update window - I > haven't been too good at that - and maybe thats a > problem? Not really but it will fix a few other thing like windows System Restore will not be working correctly etc.... > Is there any way you can do this whereby if > the internet connection is disrupted you don't have > to start all over again? I think you can manually download the files from the windows update site In windows update after you have done a scan (on the left hand side) click on “Personalize your Windows Update” then under ”Set options for Windows Update” then tick ”Display the link to the Windows Update Catalog under See Also”	stu140103 (137)
182892	2003-10-13 23:35:00	Why isn't your virtual memory working?? Try setting up a new page file in the system properties area. A page file is pretty crucial for Windows ME. Freemem would help you out as well. Other than that, get XP Pro and you will basically forget these computer worries.	PoWa (203)
182893	2003-10-14 00:27:00	I disabled system restore last year so that's not the problem - is virtual memory the same thing as the swap file? Is it peculiar that there's no swapfile activity in the System Monitor graph? The "Locked Memory" graph is at about 185 mb, "Allocated Memory" is sitting just under 366.2 mb and no Swapfile activity shows at all. "Kernel Processor Useage" is still only at 25% tho, which is good - won't crash yet! Virtual Memory is set at the moment for Windows to handle things- if I check the field to allow moi to manage it, the figures already in there are : Max: 17085 mb and Min: 0 Does any of this mean anything at all to you luverly people that have so speedily answered my pleadings! Thanks Lynne Hawkins	ljhnz (805)
182894	2003-10-14 02:29:00	i no this is expensive but you could upgrade to win xp via a "clean" install. xp is way more stable.( the only crash i have encounted is not enough ram but with 384 mb you should be fine. we have only 128mb which is frequently useg by tho os, integreted graphics ant the sims plus 5 expansion packs.)	Megaman (344)
182895	2003-10-14 02:59:00	> i no this is expensive but you could upgrade to win > xp via a "clean" install. xp is way more stable. BUT win XP is full of security holes security etc… & is slow as hell (even when you put on the patch to fix it)! & It is buggy as well! So Do not upgrade, unless you need to! My 2 cents	stu140103 (137)
182896	2003-10-14 03:26:00	And my 2 cents worth: why do people leap in and tell questioners that the OS they are using is junk and a new OS will fix all their problems. ?:| My opinion of Microsoft's stuff is not high, but most of it works most of the time. If a system has worked, and has not been virused or "improv ed" by downloading "clever" optimisers, it should keep working. If it stops working, either there is a hardware problem, or some setting has been changed (one of the automagic "features" of Windows whichj I detest). A gradual slowdown then crash is usually indicative of a memory leak (when a programme gets memory allocated to it, but doesn't release it when the memory isn't needed) ... but if there's no use of the swap file that "can't" be happening. :D The memory use shown could make zero swap use credible. Wouldn't 19° be a suspiciously low reading, folks? If the sensor is dead, and the CPU cooler isn't working, might hot running cause a clock slowdown, then finally a crash?	Graham L (2)
182897	2003-10-14 03:28:00	Its interesting that you have the minimum virtual memory at 0, it shouldn't be that at all. Try setting the minimum to 512mb and the maximum to 512mb. And yes virtual memory is the same as page file, just different terms. The page file is just how windows files it. If you had linux, you would have a separate partition specially formatted for the swap space/virtual memory.	PoWa (203)
182898	2003-10-14 07:16:00	ok folks- i think something is seriously amiss now 'cos since this morning's posts my system has gone to the dogs! Kernel Processor useage is alternating between 100% and 0% right now - allocated memory is up round the 384 mb, locked memory is sitting round 300mb and the swap file is now mysteriously working and sitting at 12.2 mb - and I've altered nothing since my first post! Internal temps (after running most of the day) are now :cpu 60 degrees and system : 25 degrees. I've had a go at backing up my cashbook and wages program to a floppy (usual procedure) and can't - get a blue screen. Ok - at present the kernel processor useage is flipping between 50 and 100% - and NOW when I do a reboot from a complete shutdown (complete with a disconnect from the power), I'm finding the system still pretty much locked up with no clawback of resources! Is this cpu on its way out? I think I'll switch off for a couple of hours and see what happens!	ljhnz (805)
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